Only Do-Do Heads believe Conspiracy Theories...

[Junkdrawer]

How do I know? The Corporate Media and several dozen DUers all tell me so. That's good enough for me.

But you ask: "Junkdrawer, how do I know what is and what isn't a Conspiracy Theory? I mean, the Corporate Media have told some real paint-peeling corkers in the past. Perhaps they're just leading me on again."

Well, there you go thinking for yourself again. Oh, sure they've made some veracity-challenged statements in the past. But, believe me, its far safer to take their word on this than to read all views and apply your own experiences. That way leads to Do-Do Headism.

[LeftCoast]

1. Straw Man

Straw man
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the logical fallacy. For other uses, see Straw man (disambiguation).

A straw man argument is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position.<1> To "set up a straw man" or "set up a straw man argument" is to create a position that is easy to refute, then attribute that position to the opponent. Often, the straw man is set up to deliberately overstate the opponent's position.<1> A straw man argument can be a successful rhetorical technique (that is, it may succeed in persuading people) but it is in fact a misleading fallacy, because the opponent's actual argument has not been refuted.<2>

Its name is derived from the practice of using straw men in combat training. In such training, a scarecrow is made in the image of the enemy with the single intent of attacking it.<3> It is occasionally called a straw dog fallacy, scarecrow argument, or wooden dummy argument.

*snip*

You may read the rest here.

[LoZoccolo]

2. Lame. n/t

[BrklynLib at work]

3. Who said, "Don't believe anything you read, an only half of what you see."?

[Warpy]

6. Dunno, but RNs will tell you

we disbelieve 95% of what we are told and 50% of what we see.

However, we know the difference between recognizing there are questions about and gaps within an official story and coming up with fantastic theories to fill those gaps.

Never attribute to conspiracy what can be attributed to coincidence and incompetence, in other words.

[bryant69]

8. Lou Reed i think n/t

[lame54]

20. it was Lou Reed - he also said this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fCutvXccFlA

[laststeamtrain]

13. Burt Lancaster? n/t

[laylah]

16. I believe it is

"Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see" and it was my Dad that said that. :rofl:

[Az]

4. Conpsiracy theories and Gods

Its the same mental process at work. People are born without knowledge or control. We soon learn to control a limited number of things (starting with our bodies) but learn that our control has limits. But our desire for control and knowledge does not have limits. Thus a desire for control and knowledge persists. For some the anxiety of control leads them to seek out anything that may have more knowledge or control of things than themselves. Those who hold to a notion of a benevolent source of control tend to create gods to affix control upon. Those who worry that something less benign has control tend to form conspiracy theories. Their mind would rather no that someone was in control because that implies that there is some hope that the nefarious control can be beaten and taken over by someone more benevolent.

Conspiracies happen of course. But the idea of grand far reaching conspiracies runs into some rather overwhelming problems. The more nefarious and far reaching a conspiracy is the more likely over time it will fall apart. Its human nature. Its that lack of control we have over our environment and others. Eventually things go wrong. People change their minds. Things happen. And the conspiracy begins to crumble.

A large scale conspiracy is an extraordinary thing. To make a case for it would require extraordinary evidence.

[AntiFascist]

23. Well Hillary has been known to talk of the vast right-wing conspiracy...

and she and Obama have also been known to appeal to religious groups, yet they both seem to have so much support?

[Az]

24. But those conspiracies have been exposed to the public

We have defectors from the vast right wing conspiracy such as David Brock over at Media Matters now. They are evidence of the fallibility of large scale conspiracies. The fact that they continue to function and be effective is endemic of our system rather than the efficacy of conspiracies.

[AntiFascist]

25. I couldn't agree with you more!

Unlike what you posted in #4, I feel that we very much have control over the large-scale conspiracies and I am extremely emboldened by the breakup of the neocon conspiracy that we have been seeing over the past several years. It's true that we may be initially struck by paranoia, but continuing to hammer, investigate and talk about what we know is part of the process of breaking up the conspiracies.

[ronnykmarshall]

5. Not true

Ca-Ca Butts, Pee-Pee Ears and Kotex Noses as well.

Please try and keep up.

[Junkdrawer]

9. Thanks. I stand corrected!

:hi:

[bryant69]

7. You poor guy

You tell those naughty DUers "Of course you know only Bush-Lovers don't understand the inherent truth of conspiracy X. Why do you let your affection for Bush blind you to the truth?"

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[OzarkDem]

10. Just drink your DLC kool aide

and everything will be just fine. Keep the powder dry, please. :sarcasm:

[Junkdrawer]

12. Beats critical thought every day of the week...

That way lies maddness....Really...

[laststeamtrain]

11. Yo-Yo Wienies & Wing-Wang Thighs want to know all. n/t

[Bitwit1234]

14. People have a right to believe what the want BUT

they don't have the right to cause a disturbance at places like BILL MAHER'S SHOW. People didn't go there to be convinced of a 9/11 conspiracy they went to see a show. THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE, THEY TRY TO FORCE THEIR BELIEFS ON OTHER PEOPLE.

[endarkenment]

15. Who you gonna believe? Media or your lying eyes?

K&R

[Junkdrawer]

18. Next you're going to tell me the record turnout in Ohio in 2004...

and the 9 hour lines meant that Kerry really won the election.

(holding hands over ears) La La La La La La La La

[Virginia Dare]

21. Need a blankie?

I wish I could tell you to take a nap and when you wake up it will all be better...:hug:

As you see, it's just not "safe" to believe in conspiracy theories and lots of people like to stay in their "safe" place.

[renie408]

17. Naw, I think the Do Do Heads are the ones that OBSESS about conspiracy theories. n/t

[sweetpotato]

19. Conspiracy theorists = nuts

Brought to you by the same people who have demonized the word "liberal."

A "conspiracy" is an agreement between two or more people to engage in an illegal, treacherous or evil act.

A "theory" is the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another; a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigation.

Any time someone speculates as to the motivations of a group of people, then that is a conspiracy theory.

Any time a prosecutor stands up in court and tells the jury that the defendant, along with his accomplices, conspired to commit a crime and then committed said crime, that prosecutor has put forth a "conspiracy theory."

I submit to you that the very same people who have made the word "liberal" a dirty word, have also cast the crazy pall over the term "conspiracy theory."

Think about it.

Are all theories involving conspiracies in the tin foil hat arena?

[Junkdrawer]

26. The Corporate Media projects a definite World View...

anything that challenges that view...

Elections are Legitimate...

Islamofacists are our greatest enemy...

The American Public is Conservative...

is a Conspiracy Theory.

[SparkyMac]

22. I agree with Lyndon Johnson ...

Not much of any consequence has ever happened without a conspiracy. And Lyndon ought to have known.